Like Santiam Brewing, I've known about this brewery. I had even bought one of their classy bottled ales (Ginger Snap) last year (but hadn't tried it yet). It wasn't until we drove right by it on our way to Diamond Lake (along Territorial Highway, southwest of Eugene) that we realized what an excellent destination it was. So we were happy to schedule an actual visit here.
After the previous weekend's frigid weather, this weekend was stellar: bright, sunny, and in the low 60s (felt even warmer in the sun). The views across the valley from their outdoor patio were fantastic, and the flocks of loud, susurrating birds were highly entertaining. (The server thought they were around because of the nearby vineyard's grape harvest (King Estate Winery, a longtime visitor destination).)
We don't often get charcuterie boards, but there weren't many other options here. Turns out, we should get the charcuterie boards! Their pistachio salami and prosciutto were amazing, the cheeses were melt in your mouth tasty, and the sourdough bread was well-textured. We also shared their Apple & Smoked Cheddar sandwich, which was made all the more delectable thanks to the juices of the warm pistachio salami. Mmmmm!
Oh, but what brought us there in the first place? Oh yes, the ales! We started with a tasting flight, and were overwhelmed by the high quality of their barrel-aged blended beers. Gose Añejo is a tequila barrel-aged sour with orange, lime, agave, and sea salt. Sharp, limey flavors say "HELLO!" and refuse to be ignored. Magic is Real is a sour ale with raspberries, blueberries, and vanilla. The balance with this one, as with all their ales, is perfect, with the sweet and tartness of the fruit coming through strongly enough to balance the sour notes. Raindrops on Roses is a rose'-styled sour ale with Pinot Noir grapes, giving it just enough of a Pinot flavor to make you go, "Wait, what? Is that wine in my beer?" And Señor Rhino, the best of a group of all-stars, is a bourbon and tequila barrel-aged imperial milk stout with ancho chiles, cocoa, cinnamon, and vanilla. But even with all those flavors, it tasted perfectly balanced and natural, with just enough heat from the chiles and spice from the cinnamon, and a lovely cocoa flavor mellowed by the vanilla. C, who claims to find stouts too heavy and dark, absolutely loved this, and we ended up buying a bottle.
Since the flight wasn't really all that much between the two of us, C ordered another glass of Señor Rhino, while I sampled another variety, Terroir: Chardonnay, which, unsurprisingly, is a sour ale with Chardonnay grape juice. Like Raindrops on Roses with the Pinot Noir, the Chardonnay came through clearly but was so well blended that it didn't overwhelm, it just enhanced the sour ale. They played well together, to put it another way.
After such a heavenly experience, we will definitely be back next year!
https://www.alesongbrewing.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment